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Inspiration – Personal Growth

…I have no doubt I helped destroy my daughter’s faith in God. As Tina grew up, my higher power shifted from a His Will Be Done Christian to a genderless “divine force in the universe” with good intentions and a wry sense of humor. It’s pretty hard for kids to grab on to God when God is radiant healing energy…

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I’m delighted I found Grown & Flown, a website and blog about parenting older kids (ages 15 to 25). Grown & Flown recently published my essay “Why I Stopped Worrying If My College Daughter Was Lonely” Tina is a thousand times more self-loving and grounded than I was at her age. This is probably why I keep asking if she’s…

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We’ve all done it, made a horrible comment we wish we could take back. Before I became a mother I once asked a very pregnant friend who mentioned she was going to the beach, “Do pregnant women go to the beach?” “I mean I know they can but do they want to? What kind of bathing suit do they wear?” “The kind made for…

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After my city’s tragedy, the world’s tragedy, I didn’t cry. Oh my eyes welled up a little, but I was too shocked, too devastated, too in despair to fully release my horror. I could not cry because perhaps if I did, I might not stop. For years and reasons that no longer matter, I’ve learned to place layers of protective…

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Remember to stand tall. Shoulders back. Head up. Carry yourself with the spectacular you are. The world will treat you as you expect to be treated. You are mighty and deserving. Remember that humility is not the opposite of confidence. Humility is to ask, to listen, to learn and to grow. Remember to apologize. Do this. You must. Remember to…

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Image credit One of the many reasons I love life is the unexpected synchronicity that happens all the time…. Driving traffic-clogged I-4 at 6:50 this morning to get to the YMCA prayer breakfast, I responded (okay, yelled) at the radio because a well-spoken but clearly wrong (by the discrimination yardstick) Baptist Minister explained to the radio host why his speech should…

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As it turns out, we humans adapt pretty well to feeling awful or to living the less dire but equally joyless neutral and numb existence. Kids, relationships, jobs, falling finances and health vie for every inch of our energy. For some, crippling pain or depression or anxiety or loneliness overshadows sensations of joy, stifling an existence that is designed for…

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Image: Wikipedia “Teach your daughters to resolve conflicts, take risks, tout their strengths and “check your good girl at the door,” writes Rachel Simmons in her book, The Curse of the Good Girl. Gender stereotypes start young. Instead of taking risks and honing their leadership skills young women unwittingly sabotage their success by questioning their abilities and diminishing their potential, explains Leslie…

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Image credit Warning: A small part of this post below is deeply disturbing, but if you hang on the emotional investment pays off. Converted bully: Hey Lindy, I don’t know why or even when I started trolling you. It wasn’t because of your stance on rape jokes. I don’t find them funny either. I think my anger towards you stems from your happiness…

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Have you ever butchered a word? I mean just bloodied the poor thing? I took French for 7 years and I still can’t pronounce sommelier, the wine expert at restaurants. I’ve asked. I’ve sounded it out. I can’t do it. I give up. There’s been plenty of non-foreign words I’ve mangled but I can’t remember. I’ve blocked them out. My…